Sholay at 50: London Film Festival honours a legend

Dubai: The British Film Institute (BFI) London Film Festival will pay a grand tribute to Sholay, celebrating 50 years of India’s most iconic film with a special screening of its restored director’s cut — complete with the original ending and previously deleted scenes. The celebration comes as part of the British Film Institute’s (BFI) annual international film festival, which opens next week.

Directed by Ramesh Sippy and released on August 15, 1975, Sholay transformed Indian cinema with its unforgettable characters — Jai and Veeru (Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra), Thakur (Sanjeev Kumar), Gabbar Singh (Amjad Khan), and Basanti (Hema Malini). The festival will showcase the restored version at the BFI IMAX, the UK’s largest screen, on October 19 — the closing night of the 2025 edition.

Amitabh Bachchan, recalling his role as Jai, said, “Shooting Sholay was an unforgettable experience. I never imagined it would redefine Indian cinema. Its journey from initial failure to record-breaking success was an emotional rollercoaster for all of us.”

Producer Shehzad Sippy, who led the restoration, said it took three years to recover the original ending and lost footage. “It’s a tribute to my grandfather G.P. Sippy’s vision,” he added. Shivendra Singh Dungarpur of the Film Heritage Foundation called the project “a labour of love,” ensuring the film’s legacy for future generations.

Alongside Sholay, the festival will also spotlight Indian films such as Ahmed Alauddin Jamal’s Hotel London and Anuparna Roy’s Songs of Forgotten Trees, marking a strong Indian presence at this year’s global celebration of cinema.

With inputs from ANI